Chapter 29

Matt had tried to forget about Jen after that night when they'd played poker, and told himself he had. He didn't see her anymore at Mike's. He asked another girl, Lindsay, to Homecoming. He liked her too. But he didn't ask her out, and eventually they stopped talking.

But Jen was always in the back of his mind, whenever he saw her he felt the same rush of nervousness, feeling sick to his stomach. One time during lunch, she walked by his group on her way to the parking lot. One of his friends said something about her, about her looks or something. Darin told them Matt was in love with her, and that she'd told him he had pretty eyes. Matt was humiliated, and felt sick again, when his friend, Michael (not Mike) grabbed her backpack as she walked by, saying, "Hey Matt! Look, it's your girl!" All his friends had laughed. She totally ignored them. She hates me, thought Matt.

He was pissed at Mike, too, because he found out from Darin that Mike had told Jen Matt had a crush on her. She never talked to him though. She must think I'm a dork, he thought, always insecure. He prayed he wouldn't see her much anymore.

But in the beginning of February she was on his track team, and he was elated inwardly. He knew he was going to start liking her again, although he had to admit he hadn't ever stopped. But he didn't want to like her, after all, it was pointless. He'd spent too much time already pining away after her.

But he was still happy, and he talked to her sometimes, hoping she wouldn't laugh at him.

She got sick once, and didn't come to school for three days in a row. He was disappointed. Mike said she was so sick she was at his house. Matt was jealous. But on Thursday she came to school, and they had a track meet, the first one of the year. It was just a practice meet. She was very quiet, and didn't smile at all. She must be sick still, he thought. She did her event, the hurdles, but came in second to last. She didn't look like she tried very hard, or even cared.

His parents came to watch him run towards the end. Jen was still being quiet, sitting by herself on the grass. His mom and dad were talking to some other parents, and Matt, Michael, and Terry sat and watched the final events next to them. Matt watched Jen though, instead. What's the matter? he thought. He wanted to give her a hug.

Terry noticed Matt staring at her, and laughed.

"Hey Jen!" he yelled. Matt freaked, telling Terry to shut up. He didn't though. "Come here!" he yelled at her.